GB Values

Red Shield

The Red shield’s credibility was built over the years through hard work and excellence shown by the Gracie Barra students, athletes and instructors involved in sport Jiu-Jitsu competitions, teaching programs and community work.

Fight Song

Sea of Red

Wearing the red shirt is saying it loudly to the world: I BELIEVE IN GRACIE BARRA.

The Red Shirt seeks to promote a sense of unity among the members of the GB team around the world. It promotes unity, support, equality, identity, philosophy and proud of being part of GB team. Wearing the red shirt is saying: I am part of GB Team.

Founder

Reg Directors

The develop- ment of Gracie Barra’s presence in a new territory starts through the work of a leader. Expansion and movement into different territories or areas usually starts with one school, then eventually spreads out to several other locations as students of the originating school decide to follow in the steps of their mentors.

Senior Ranks

The Gracie Barra Legacy Award was created by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. as recognition for the loyalty, support, commitment, and hard work of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professors who have been working to build Gracie Barra for 25 years or more.

Professors

The Gracie Barra legacy is one of many champions built by great Professors and Masters. Beyond the Jiu-Jitsu contest arena. Lessons taught by our instructors have impacted positively the lives of hundreds of communities and thousands of people over the years.

Instructors

Gracie Barra Instructors are held responsible to high standards of etiquette, instruction and philosophy set by Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and the Gracie Barra Association. To maintain the integrity and focus on safety in our schools, all of our instructors are certified. Additionally, our instructors are all required to be CPR/Basic First Aid certified.

Athletes

Athletics within Gracie Barra builds community and pride through the engagement of students, staff, parents, and friends, and creates a portal through which everyone can enjoy the GB experience. Successful athletic performance generates a unique excitement across the Gracie Barra Schools and community, help strengthen bonds among the various arms of our organization, build students loyalty in a healthy manner, and give Gracie Barra members yet another reason to be proud to represent the legacy of Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and defend the red shield.

Benefits

If you are struggling with your own growth and find yourself wishing that you got them legs as long as a Victoria’s Secret model, or as tall as a skyscraper, then I would suggest that you keep calm and read on.

I would like to see BJJ not as a self-paced program where anyone can just be good at it and dabble it in during one’s free time. I would like to see it more as a process. It’s a path/process. There is a path to take. A process to learn. Even for those who may believe that their bodies are not ideal for the sport.

For me, there is a path for each BJJ artist, a journey that could ultimately lead to personal development and growth. There are different routes to take to get to an end point. There are hundred ways to skin a cat, should I say. There are many ways to be good at BJJ. It’s about the mastery of the right techniques.

Tailor your game to your body. Be honest.

BJJ for the Short

Yes. The physically short. Guys who may have not been endowed with a taller frame can benefit from taking advantage of their stature. Guards should work like a charm. It need not only be good. It needs to be stand-out and high level. A small guy’s guard will be his bread and butter as will his ability to escape mounts and sweeps. One technique is also to take the back! If smaller guys can’t mount and keep control, might as well swivel and go for the back mount!

Short Legged?

My legs are short. They are Asian and stumpy. I love them nevertheless. It saves me from my typical Wednesday “leg day” routine to the gym. However, I cannot pull off a good triangle even if my girlfriend’s life depended on it. Probably if I was grappling with a six year old, I could. But coming to terms with my own limitations, I focused on my upper body. My arms are “alright.” Kimura’s, chokes, and guillotines became my bread and butter! I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do a life-saving Triangle choke like Anderson Silva, but I know I have the upper body strength to choke someone. And so I started drilling on those submissions. Success I did find.

Flexibility in question

Not everyone is born equal. And we are not born flexible. Let’s be clear on that. At least physically speaking. Starting in BJJ is a not-so-flexible-guy’s nightmare. If you feel that you are not flexible, I want you to forget that belief. Everyone can become stretchable. But you have to do the work to get there. Here’s a technique I used… I moved my couch to my garage and replaced it with mats. While I watch TV, I stretch. Any way that I could. I did this for months! My body got used to it!